I must be seeing things—I have to be. I fell on my way inside of school and slipped into a coma. It's first period and I've already dozed off into a nightmare. Those explanations make sense. This person staring at me—it has to be some sort of anxiety-driven hallucination!
When I rub my eyes, he's still there, standing a mere twenty feet away with the world's biggest grin on his lips. There is no possible way Hayden Cross could be back. He's supposed to be at the Westwood Detention Center. I'm supposed to spend my last year of high school relatively worry free.
It makes my stomach churn.
His smile is just as infuriating as I remember it to be—maybe even a little more considering he shouldn't be here. Snapping an emotionless mask onto my face, I stare back, hoping he didn't see the way my eyes bugged out of my head or how I sputtered 'what' for a good two minutes.
Principal Miller is up on his feet in the matter of seconds and I smile. That's right. Kick his ass all the way back to that forsaken place.
"Your quick thinking could have saved these kids from a lot worse," he says with a grave look of approval. "I'm very pleasantly surprised, Hayden."
What?
Hayden shrugs. "I was there. She needed help. There is nothing to be surprised about."
Everyone smiles. It's written all over their faces. Hayden the hero! This is the same person who pulled the fire alarm during one of the worst snowstorms in the history of Wisconsin. We had to stand outside for an hour.
"I know," the principal continues. "It's very much appreciated."
Hayden approaches us with the expression of the humble hero. There's something off about him, I notice. But then again, there's always been something off about him. Normal people don't do the things he's done.
"Like I said, no big deal." He looks over at Gabby with a charming smile, "As long as you're okay..."
She blushes furiously, looking down at her feet to uncharacteristically hide behind a veil of dark hair. I snort, arms instinctively moving to fold protectively over my chest. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of this curve ball. The look on his face, the way he seems to soak everything in, says he has. There's one thing to be a jerk. But a charming jerk—a boy who can give just the right smile to get out of trouble is more than lethal.
Hayden's gray eyes appear to be pure silver under the large fluorescent lights. They meet mine just as his smile vanishes into a hard frown. We're momentarily suspended in a glaring contest, daring each other to shoot first. Both want to.
Gabby coughs. When our eyes meet she gives a small shake of her head, radiating comfort and sympathy as well as slowly taking deep breaths. This is when I have to try my hardest to keep the Chance-family explosive temper at bay.
It all started when I moved to the little town outside of Madison, Wisconsin in seventh grade. Hayden Cross was used to swaggering around all of Valleyfield like he owned the place. I was one of the few people to call him out on his arrogance. And the rest is history.
"Right, Ember?"
I snap out of my trance. "What was that?"
Principal Miller's smile stretches even wider and now he appears to be in pain. "What he did. It was admirable right?"
I look at the man to make sure he hasn't magically grown a second head or forgot about Hayden and I's infamous prank wars over the last four years. What the hell is Principal Miller expecting me to do? Grovel?
Instead of groveling, I ask, "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" I hiss, eyes narrowing. Enough with the hero talk.
"Didn't you miss me, Emmy?" he asks.
"Miss you?" I can't help but laugh. I tilt my head to the side. "One time I ate bad crawfish when we were in Louisiana to see my Aunt Loraine. I had the worst stomach cramps a person could ever imagine. I miss those more than I missed you, Cross."
Hayden rolls his eyes and takes another step forward to minimize our space apart to only a single foot. I take one giant step back. Principal Miller watches us carefully and clears his throat. Behave or else. He's not oblivious to the tension. He's more than an expert on the subject by now. But even with the principal and security guards standing a few feet away, I'm not afraid to claw Cross' eyes out if it's necessary.
Hayden rolls his eyes.
One day, in the beginning of junior year, the hijinks went too far. The relatively harmless combat stopped. There was an accident. People got hurt. Property was destroyed. While I and a few other students went to the Emergency Room for smoke inhalation, Hayden tried to run away, and found himself in a juvenile detention center.
"Well...I know I've missed you for sure," he murmurs, lips pulling up at the edges to reveal deep dimples that might be cute on anyone else.
"I'm sure you did." I scowl. Behind us, two Valleyfield police officers shuffle down the hall. I recognize them as Officer La Rue and Officer Mercury. I know them a bit too well.
"Is everything alright here?" Officer La Rue asks. Her sharp black eyes land on Hayden and I and I snort a laugh. She thinks she's here for us. I wish.
"Everything here is totally peachy." I assure her. "I'm just concerned that they're letting delinquents into the school without proper precautions."
Hayden glares daggers in my direction. I meet his glare with a smug quirk of my lips.
"That is a very serious thing, Miss Chance." Officer Mercury warns.
I don't respond.
"I'm eighteen. The judge realized that the fire wasn't all my fault," Hayden says. He chuckles. "I'm so glad they let me go right before school started. Sorry I missed your eighteenth birthday party."
"I'm not."
The bell signaling the end of the first period of school blares over the speakers. Principal Miller instructs lingering students on to the next class. "You too," he says to Hayden.
Hayden looks at the principal with his eyebrows raised, waiting for him to tell the same to me. There's no way I'm leaving my best friend here by herself. Miller glances at me as though he might consider it, but stops when my glare deepens.
"Go, Cross," Principal Miller says in a warning tone.
Hayden doesn't argue. Before he leaves, Hayden reaches out and grabs my arm. His grip is too tight, too domineering. I turn to face him ready to tear something off, when the intensity and mischief in his eyes stop me.
"I just wanted to say...have a nice day."
"You too!" I answer, sweetly.
Before our conversation can go any further, Gianna Hansen appears out of thin air, and hastily loops our arms together, dragging me away.
"Where did you come from?" I ask and almost knock into a trashcan.
"Not important," she tells me. "But I did get here right on time."
We head to where they have Gabby sitting on a bench. I can feel Hayden's eyes beginning to burn a hole into the back of my head and I move my free hand behind my back to give him the perfect view of my middle finger.
"I can't believe he's here," I say, finally allowing the magnitude of this morning's events to finally hit me. "I swear. If he tries anything..."
Gianna shakes her head, patting my arm in an attempt to stop the smoke from coming out of my ears, and motions for me to take a deep breath. "He won't. He's a jerk, but he's not stupid. You two got off easy after what happened last year. I'm sure he'll be on his best behavior."
"Hayden Cross and good behavior?" I snort a laugh.
"Don't let him ruin your day, Em." Gianna pats my hand.
I look at Gianna and then at her sister. Gabby's arm looks like it's been put through a meat processor. She's the one who is in physical pain. She should be the one we're focusing on right now.
"We're going to have to take her to the Emergency Room," Principal Miller informs us. "There's an ambulance on its way. I know you want to go with her, Ember, but you're going to have to stay here."
"Do I get to go?" Gianna asks, alarmed. "She's my sister."
"You can stay," he says and turns his attention to me. "But you..."
Looking at my best friend, I sigh, "I understand."
Gabby offers me a small, reassuring smile that breaks my heart into a million pieces. "I think I'll be alright," she flinches. "Both of you. Go to class. Mom is probably already camped outside the ER right now."
Gianna and I look at each other. "Are you sure—"
"Yes."
Gianna chews on her bottom lip. "But Gabs..."
"I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Gi! Go! I need you to make sure today goes great."
Knowing that this is an argument neither of us will win, I get to my feet and walk away, dragging Gianna along with me, before coming to a stop in front of Mr. Johansson's Contemporary Issues class down the hall. Most of the class is packed with familiar faces and there are only two desks near the back. A few cheerleaders take up the back, all wearing their green and white uniforms for the traditional start-of-the-school-year pep assembly, oversized bows and glitter decorating their hair.
Mr. Johansson stands at the front of the class and scribbles illegibly across the board what I assume are classroom rules. I quickly make my way to the back. It's perfect. One desk for me, one desk for Gabby.
"Welcome to a class where we will discuss real issues that surround your everyday life," Mr. Johansson greets monotonously. There is a collective sigh across the room. I look around at the class. I know how you feel. I don't want to be here either.
Fingers crossed that the rest of the year is better than the start.
* * *